Eastern Shore is the geographic eastern shoreline of
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay ( ) is a shallow inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, lying within the state of Alabama in the United States. Its mouth is formed by the Fort Morgan Peninsula on the eastern side and Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the western side. The ...
in southwest
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County
, LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham
, area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
. It extends from just north of
Interstate 10 to the southeastern end of the bay near Weeks Bay. Since there is no official boundary set for the "Eastern Shore" its usage is subject to change. However, broadly speaking, the area is bounded by
U.S. Highway 31 to the north,
U.S. Highway 98 to the south,
State Route 181 to the east and
Mobile Bay
Mobile Bay ( ) is a shallow inlet of the Gulf of Mexico, lying within the state of Alabama in the United States. Its mouth is formed by the Fort Morgan Peninsula on the eastern side and Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the western side. The ...
to the west.
Cities
The Eastern Shore is composed of three municipalities,
Spanish Fort,
Daphne
Daphne (; ; el, Δάφνη, , ), a minor figure in Greek mythology, is a naiad, a variety of female nymph associated with fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of freshwater.
There are several versions of the myth in whi ...
and
Fairhope
Fairhope is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, located on the eastern shoreline of Mobile Bay. The 2020 Census lists the population of the city as 22,477. Fairhope is a principal city of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley metropolita ...
. Three smaller communities,
Montrose,
Barnwell, and
Point Clear are also often included in the region.
Commerce
While tourism is significant in the region, especially further south in the
Gulf Shores
Gulf Shores is a resort city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 9,741.
Geography
Gulf Shores is located on the Gulf of Mexico at 30°16'4.069" North, 87°42'5.285" West (30.267797, −87.70 ...
area, the principal business along the Eastern Shore is retail. Large and expanding retail shopping centers mark both Daphne and Spanish Fort, while Fairhope is home to numerous smaller specialty shops in its downtown business district.
Tourism is predominant in Point Clear because of a large classical-style hotel and the presence of a championship
golf course
A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". ...
.
Regions of Alabama
{{BaldwinCountyAL-geo-stub